Takoma Park, Md. - 2 posts

Launchpad’s producer, Jerry Cowan, left, and creator, Councilman Terry Seamens, right, in the Takoma Park Community Center after a meeting with five young men as they prepare for their upcoming forum./ Photo by D’Ante Smith

| By D’Ante Smith |

It’s a clear, dark fall night. The streets are quiet, with no signs of anything or anyone. The audible sounds of doors slamming from the street echoes this sentiment. This is not the typical Saturday night in Ward 4 of Takoma Park.

“The Alternative: Crime, Prison and Death,” the first event organized by LaunchpadMaryland, a music concert headlined by local talent, could be contributing to this quiet. With 10 to 15 youth in the audience, that’s 10 to 15 fewer who could potentially be on the street corners making noise, and possibly getting into trouble.

Residents of Takoma Park, Md., see various forms of grassroots activism as a way to preserve the city’s history sense of community while adapting to the needs of a demographically diverse population. From health-based advocacy programs addressing African Americans’ and Latinos’ increased risk of diabetes to a “buy local” movement that seeks to preserve small businesses, residents say they feel their city is unique among the larger, more commercialized and racially divided communities that surround it.

One community activist says, through these varied grassroots initiatives, Takoma Park residents are making connections and creating a place where people can meet each other and hold conversations that have the possibility to spark change.